PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 12, 2023
Trees are good. So it might seem that chopping down one of these precious planet-savers and dragging it to your living room to festoon with lights and ornaments, only to toss it on the curb later, would be bad for the climate. In fact, you may be doing the planet a favor. Cutting trees down, digging up the soil to plant new ones and hauling the harvest to a local parking lot for sale does generate carbon emissions. But this pollution is nothing compared with what’s involved in producing artificial trees. Just be sure your real tree is sourced and recycled responsibly. Make whatever lifestyle changes you can afford, sure. But the impact of talking to your friends, loved ones and enemies about climate, advocating for action and voting for politicians who want to make a difference will last longer than any Christmas decoration. ~ Mark Gongloff